Mamdani admin gives troubled NYC nonprofit $200M in shelter contracts even after embezzling indictment

The Mamdani administration gave a troubled Brooklyn nonprofit $200 million in city contracts — two months after its leaders were indicted on bribery and corruption charges, The Post confirmed.Homeless shelter operator BHRAGS Home Care will collect on at least two new contracts — one for $136 million covering shelter facilities for homeless adults and another for $50 million encompassing social services in hotels, city records show.But the nonprofit will have to work with the city under an independent monitor, according to Gothamist, which first reported Friday on the cushy contracts.BHRAGS executive director Roberto Samedy and its former board chairman, Jean Ronald Tirelus, are accused of raking in $1.3 million by siphoning money from the nonprofit and taking kickbacks.The indictment against the duo, along with two codefendants, was unveiled in March amid a swirl of suspicion around several prominent city Democrats.BHRAG had received more than $450,000 in discretionary funds from City Councilwoman Farah Louis (D-Brooklyn).The feds had raided the home of Louis and her sister Debbie Louis, an aide to Gov.
Kathy Hochul, in February.Neither sister were arrested or charged with wrongdoing.
Samedy and Tirelus both pleaded not guilty the charges.Officials in Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration defended sticking with BHRAGS, despite the looming federal criminal case.“By appointing a monitor selected and managed by the [Department of Investigation], the city is better positioned to hold new leadership accountable and properly rehabilitate the organization,” Neha Sharma, spokesperson for the Department of Social Services, told Gothamist.DSS didn’t return The Post’s requests for comment....